iPhone 16 Pro Demand Has Been Lower Than Expected, Analyst Says (macrumors.com) 67
Ming-Chi Kuo, a high-profile and reliable Apple analyst, says the demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max has been "lower than expected" since the devices became available to pre-order in the U.S. and dozens of other countries on Friday. From a report: Kuo said his data is based on a "supply chain survey" and shipping estimates listed on Apple's online store. Kuo estimated that sales of all four iPhone 16 models reached about 37 million units in the first weekend after Apple began accepting pre-orders, which is down nearly 13% compared to first-weekend sales of the iPhone 15 series last year. The analyst said a key factor for the decline is the lower demand for the Pro models, with first-weekend sales of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max estimated to be down 27% and 16%, respectively, compared to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max sales during the equivalent period last year.
You think? (Score:2, Insightful)
Maybe quit charging $1200 for incremental improvements.
Re: (Score:2)
That camera button itself is worth $200 alone (Apple executives).
Re: (Score:2)
This year has been particularly disappointing for phones, because nobody cares about most of the AI stuff. The Pixel 9 was the same - for me, the only improvement of the 8 is the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Re: (Score:2)
AI isnt ready for compelling use cases yet, not for the general public. While techies and early adopters understand hallucinations, it really cannot be tolerated for something that everyday people to rely on. I can't be second-guessing the calendar date or the routing information in real time.
When I need the iPhone 17 or whatever so that it can anticipate my needs and operate like a true "AI Assistant" (good morning, this is the news you care about, carefully curated, here is your meetings for the day, with
Re: (Score:2)
I'd assume some people do want the AI stuff, but it's not launching with the phone at release. That probably isn't helping demand.
Re: (Score:3)
You haven't priced some Samsung models lately.
Re: (Score:2)
$1899 for a folding phone. https://www.samsung.com/us/sma... [samsung.com]
Re: (Score:2)
A folding phone isn't an incremental change. It's a bad idea, but it's not an incremental bad idea.
It's incremental now (Score:1)
A folding phone isn't an incremental change.
At this point folding phones are incremental changes as they are slowly advancing older versions.
And yes that will probably apply when Apple eventually delivers a folding phone.
Re: (Score:1)
"But she's got a new hat! I want it. I want it. I want it. "
Re: (Score:3)
"Iphone 16 pro ***with NEW hat***"
Ah, the "Team Fortress 2" school of product design!
Re: You think? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
i just got a brand new (to me) iphone 8 plus. i like the touch unlock.
Re: (Score:2)
Add in economic factors and it's easy to see why people aren't jumping at the chance to upgrade something that they really don't need to even if they might have found s
Re: (Score:2)
Back when Apple just sold Macs, they would try to do something really different with the product. Some didn't work out ver well (Cube, FlowerPot), while others really moved things forward. (Titanium PowerBook G4, original iMac, 1st "flat-screen" iMac). The big idea though was to have fun. Be different. Push some boundaries.
Current Apple is a very conservative company, not willing to take
Re: (Score:2)
It's gonna be a race to the bottom from now on costs wise and tech execs are gonna have to get used to it. If a $200 phone has 90% of the hardware as a $1200 flag ship then that's that for the insane profits Apple's been raking in.
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe quit charging $1200 for incremental improvements.
Apple Intelligence is definitely not "incremental." Everyone else just has artificial intelligence, so Apple Intelligence (TM) is groundbreaking. You should know this. Haven't you been paying attention to the commericials?
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe people aren't sold on AI features (Score:2)
Gimmicks. (Score:1)
So they bring an update that largely brings gimmickry that nobody asked for, and they're surprised when people don't line up to give them $1200 for it?
Could have sworn this object lesson happened at least once before on this product line...
A 3.27 trillion market cap lesson? (Score:2)
So they bring an update that largely brings gimmickry that nobody asked for, and they're surprised when people don't line up to give them $1200 for it?
Could have sworn this object lesson happened at least once before on this product line...
You may not be impressed, but enough people are to make them currently the most valuable publicly traded company and a leader in the device field, at 3.27 trillion as I write this. They have the #1 selling phone in the USA and DOMINATE the tablet industry and have huge profit margins.
Do I wish the phones were cheaper? Absolutely. I am not defending the esoteric morality of their decisions. However, we whine and bitch, but everyone I know owns one now....OK, so maybe you're an Android guy...what abou
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
When the iPhone 15 got USB-C, I though "ooh, I want that, lightning sucks"....then I realized I've used the lightning port maybe 3x in 3 years. I just leave my phone on a wireless charger while I sleep every 2-3 days. I have never gotten a low battery message and I seriously only charge it every 2-3 days (I am at a computer most of the time or my job, so don't need to use it as much as some folks).
For me, I used the Lightning port constantly, and the headphone jack frequently. I got the iPhone 15 because USB-C lets me share wired earbuds with my Mac and my iPhone. I have zero interest in the iPhone 16 series because I already have a new phone.
At this point, I can't think of anything they can do unless they invent BRAND NEW technology and for the life of me, I can't think of any useful technology out there that would work on a phone that any vendor can add. The best they can do is increase efficiency and update protocols and processors.
I can. Very easily. Bring back touch ID, home buttons, and iPhone 5s-sized phones. That would get me to upgrade my phone. Face ID is slow, unreliable, and requires my attention. With Touch ID, I could unlock the device *before* paying attention to it, whi
Re: (Score:2)
So they bring an update that largely brings gimmickry that nobody asked for, and they're surprised when people don't line up to give them $1200 for it?
Could have sworn this object lesson happened at least once before on this product line...
You may not be impressed, but enough people are to make them currently the most valuable publicly traded company and a leader in the device field, at 3.27 trillion as I write this. They have the #1 selling phone in the USA and DOMINATE the tablet industry and have huge profit margins.
I'm personally impressed with Apple, the company. They generate boatloads of revenue and profit. However, the stock market is not so impressed, sending the stock down almost 3% today based on this rumor. I imagine the Apple employees that depend on Apple stock aren't so impressed either.
Delayed Improvement (Score:3, Interesting)
I think one of the reasons why people might be holding out on upgrades is to see what Apple AI really delivers, but that is coming out in phases, some phases not out until well into next year!
There are some new hardware aspects that are pretty nice - like a high-res wide-angle camera. And the dedicated app Control Strip on the side. But those alone may not pull in many people that were not already thinking of upgrading...
Also, I had been thinking about upgrading but I decided all of the stuff they are putting out as new really needs a trip to see it in-person to see what I like, that desert color may be good but it's something I think you have to see in real life to decide if you want it. And if it were not for the higher resolution wide angle camera I would be skipping an upgrade for sure.
Also also, as a iPhone Pro owner I am kind of tired of having the non pros get cool colors while the Pro line just gets muted finishes. Yes I know titanium is hard to infuse with color, but maybe that just means it's time to hang up the hat for titanium and make some kind of pro aluminum alloy.
Re: (Score:3)
I am due for an iPhone upgrade-- my 12 Pro is ready for an upgrade for sure-- but Apple really isn't offering me much of an upgrade beyond a new battery. There is very real price exhaustion and a dedicated camera button does not offset the mediocre base storage. For me, a 256GB 16 Pro is worth a maximum of $1k, and 512GB $1,100. Really even that is grossly inflated; I am not willing to pay more than ~$200/year for the hardware.
So, maybe I defer an upgrade for another year. I doubt I will seriously consider
Oh no! (Score:2)
Plateau (Score:5, Insightful)
Technology no longer solves real problems. Instead of reveling in our resources and building a leisure society, we continue this weird idea that everyone needs to work so we continue selling useless things to each other...
Re: (Score:2)
Because despite the insistence that everything will be automated, that has never become the case. Technology, robots, etc can do a lot of tasks, but they still require a ton of human intervention in the process.
Once we actually get to a point of total automation then we can have a conversation about "building a leisure society", but until then, such discussion is useless because we have no idea when that day is coming. It could be in 10 years, it could be in 1500 years.
Re: (Score:1)
Boring colours (Score:2)
While the iPhone 16 Pro is likely not being picket up for a number of reasons, I must I find the colours a tad conservative. If I could have the Pro model in on of the non-pro colours, I might consider one. Then again, my iPhone 12 Pro is still doing well for the most part.
At the same time, right now the phones are still on pre-order so who's to say how the numbers will change?
Another Candy-bar Cellphone--meh... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I'm only surprised because there isn't historically much of an association between price, empirical value, and the willingness of people to pay for Apple product; I have to assume it's mostly conspicuous consumption behavior.
That leads to the conclusion that people aren't buying them because they don't have the money to do so. Or the credit.
Re: (Score:1)
In my case....it's $1600 for a device I would use for 5 years (if I were not gonna die first).
That's $320/year. Less than one lousy dollar/day, for a device I am on ALL THE TIME.
I spend at least $2/day on soda.
My own theory on that.. (Score:2)
My iPhone 15 Pro Max product satisfaction has also been "lower than expected" and I think these might be related. I know it's a sample size of exactly one phone but this is maybe the worst iPhone I've ever owned. It's like the Sam Wilson version of my last iPhone in that it does everything its predecessor did, only slower.
Re:iPhone 16 Pro demand has been lower than expect (Score:4, Informative)
Looks like they're going after rich tax cheats. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/i... [irs.gov]
What political adversary was targeted?
Define "Expected" (Score:2)
Say it ain't so! (Score:2)
Music Failure (Score:2)
After several iterations of the iPhone that doesn’t recognize all the songs from my CD collection, getting worse with each new phone, I’ll be continuing with having two phones, one Android (Razr this time) and iPhone however the iPhone will be the least storage available as if it won’t play my music, it’s useless to me.
It worked back on the 3 when I first got it. Then as I replace the phones, the music would kick back with, “not available in your country” (I’m in th
Re: (Score:2)
If you're talking about Apple Music Match (think that's what it is called), they don't really upload your MP3's and replay them like they used to. I "ripped" all my CDs years ago for that and for most of the CDs, they would essentially fingerprint the songs that you uploaded and match it to the track in their system. If it wasn't in their system, the track went off to storage and you could get it there. Over time, iCloud and streaming have taken over. If Apple doesn't have the streaming rights for a particu
Re: (Score:2)
I've not paid for any of the Apple Music features. Just using the Music app. Maybe it's part of the app? The examples I have right now are Boston's album, Billy Idol's Cyberpunk and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation only play the interludes, none of the actual songs. There are tons more. I did see if there was a music player in the app store such as the VLC one I use on my iPad since Apple Movie won't play my ripped movies any more
I'll have to check the settings and see if 'Music Match' is enabled somewhere as
Easy sales boost, release a mini again (Score:5, Insightful)
Not everyone needs or wants to carry a giant monolith of a phone. Even the last mini, the 13 is still large compared to old phones. Heck everyone else seems to have gotten out of the market, so you can have it all to yourself.
Re: (Score:2)
Mini FTW! (Score:2)
I had a 4S. I liked it. 6+, no since it was big and heavy. 12 mini was good too. I might have to get a SE if I need a new iPhone, but that's a downgrade. Rumors say SE4 will be using the newer hardwares. I hope so.
Upgrading from 12 Pro (Score:2)
I tried to tell myself that the AI features, the high resolution mid and wide-angle lenses, always on screen, and the intact back glass were no big deal. But somehow, I've pre-orderd a replacement for my 12 Pro. I may regret that in a year when the 17 Pro has a 48 megapixel zoom lens and my budget and sense of frugality won't allow me to upgrade again.
The revolutionary period of mobile computing drew to a close a while ago. Now it's incremental improvements and the market is shaking out to just a handful
Pro 14 seems fast enough and takes great photos (Score:1)
Phones have caught up and surpassed there use-case for the majority - enthusiasts may want an edge feature
maybe i got old.
Frequent upgrades are becoming less common... (Score:5, Insightful)
Let's be honest -- I upgraded an iPhone XS to an iPhone 14 Pro several years ago, and other then it being a bit faster with a bit more memory, there was no discernible difference between the two. The result is that the only time I purchase a new iPhone is when my previous phone is lost/damaged or when iOS is no longer upgradable, hence I have ever owned 4 iPhones (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 6S, iPhone 10XS and now iPhone 14 Pro) -- and I suspect this pattern is becoming more prevalent...
Phones have been good enough for a decade (Score:5, Informative)
The only reason I have upgraded my phone in the last 10 years or ao was because of wear and tear. Battery gets shitty. Battery swells. Screen crack Things of that sort.
I have not used a top of the line phone since 2011 maybe? I have been using a ton of phone for the third world market. Turns out they work just fine.
What so I do with my phone. Email, social media, watching videos and streams (youtube, twitch), gps. Standard things overall. You can do all of that on a $300 phone. I probably spent less on phone in the last decade than the sticker price of the new release phone.
Now I am not saying that there is no use for these phones They have really good camera and so I could see the convenience of a good camera on your phone as a backup if you are a youtuber or something like that. Maybe you want to play some higher end games on your phone and the higher end specs could make sense there.
But I am baffled that they sell on the order of 50 million phones in the us at each generation. They are just not worth the price. And I am not iphone hating, I also don't understand why so many people buy the $1300 samsung phones either.
Re: (Score:1)
Exactly this, I am on the iphone phone because it came out first. After the first 4 years (2 x 2 year contracts). I no longer get a new phone every time. If the phone breaks, or has problems like you described, I go to the cell phone store for my carrier and say "Give me the cheapest iphone you have in stock right now." I then walk out of the store, go to Five Below for a screen protector, and a TPU rubber case. Chop Chop Boom. On to the next errand.
Re: (Score:2)
This is the best path forward regardless of the phone you own.
Apple products are too damn resilient (Score:3)
Apple, of course, is increasing its margins with each iteration by keeping prices the same on hardware that is undoubtedly cheaper to make. Nevertheless, it's a great deal for me. I got my 256 GB iPhone 10 for $1280 (tax included) in 2017. The iPhone 16 Pro with 256 GB is setting me back $1180 (including tax), even though it has a MUCH bigger screen, WAY better cameras and, indeed, tons of new features like the processor, AI, camera button, etc.
And, my Apple stock will continue to do well because, as all the Apple whiners here always forget, Apple knows how to make a ton of money. It's funny how "conservatives" get angry when they realize that running a business is not a partisan endeavor. It's about making money, and Apple is better than it than anyone. Stop whining and buy Apple stock and hold.
Here's to the new phone... (Score:2)
...same as the old phone.
Phones last more than 2 years now. (Score:2)
People are realizing they don't need to chase the latest model. I still have an iPhone 13 pro and feel no urgent need to upgrade as battery life is still over a day.
Incremental improvements, crap trade-in values (Score:2)
Looking now at the same upgrade, they still have another year of satellite SOS
You are all falling for the analysists, again (Score:3)
An unsourced rumor about an unverified miss against an unpublished target.
That should mean NOTHING to anyone who applies the least amount of critical thinking.
Analysts face no penalty if their bogus reporting doesn't match reality, but great upside if they accidentally predict something.